Kirkland Dog Food Recalls 2020

To date, Kirkland has only had two recalls on dog food, and both instances were found to have no cases of the potential contamination outbreak.

Best for Puppies Kirkland Signature Puppy Chicken, Rice, & Vegetable Formula

Super Premium Puppy food incorporates salmon oil, a great source of omega fatty acids, giving your pup healthy skin and a shiny coat. A great choice for active puppies.

Chicken, rice & vegetable formula optimized for your puppy

Rich in antioxidants and omega fatty acids for skin and coat health

Contains probiotics and prebiotics to support digestive and immune systems

Keeps teeth clean and reduces plaque with special bite-sized kibble

Made for puppies and nursing adult dogs

Is Kirkland Costco a Good Dog Food?

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ ½

Kirkland Costco Dog Food receives our second-highest rating of 4.5 stars.

Kirkland Signature Dog Food product line consists of 12 varieties. For easy reference, we have included those currently listed on Amazon here along with their Amazon rating. This enables you to easily check prices and package sizes.

Kirkland Signature Adult Dog Chicken, Rice, & Vegetable Formula was chosen to represent the Kirkland brand for analysis of its contents. Ingredients are listed by predominance in weight. This weight also includes their water content.

Chicken is the #1 ingredient in this product. Although this indicates a quality product, raw chicken is made up mostly of water. Once it is cooked, a lot of that moisture will evaporate and the meat will not have the same weight. This could mean there is less of the ingredient in the kibble than we may think.

The second ingredient, however, is chicken meal. Though probably not the most quality animal protein out there, chicken meal is still concentrated meat, and has about 300% more protein than pure chicken. You cannot technically call it meat, though since all the fat and water have been rendered out. It contains some part of the animal you wouldn’t think of “meat” including any blood, hair, horn, hide trimmings, manure, stomach, and rumen contents. Meat meal is not exactly appealing to us, but our pets think a bit differently.

The third ingredient is whole grain brown rice, which is a carbohydrate that provides your dog with energy. It is full of fiber, which is great for digestion. It also contains essential vitamins and minerals like calcium, iron, and riboflavin.

The fourth ingredient is barley, another grain that provides energy. It supplies fiber and a few other nutrients.

The fifth ingredient is chicken fat. This is the fat that is rendered on the chicken when cooking it. It contains linoleic acid, which is an omega-6 fatty acid. Omega-6s help your dog’s ability to promote healthy bone and muscle tissue. It also helps maintain healthy skin and fur.

Sixth is the egg product. It is unclear if the shell-free egg product is wet or dry. Keep in mind that the quality of these eggs can vary; some lower quality egg product can come from eggs that failed to hatch. Regardless, for dogs, eggs are easily digestible and can cure your puppers upset stomach. They are also a good source of proteins, essential amino acids, and fatty acids.

The seventh listed ingredient is beet pulp. Beet pulp is high in fiber and will help your dog maintain good intestinal health, as well as easily absorb other ingredients. Some believe that beet pulp is simply added to the product as an inexpensive filler. But most of us believe it is a great choice for maintaining healthy intestines and stabilizing blood pressure.

Eighth on the ingredient list is potato. Potatoes are a great source of energy that are easily digestible. Every dog is different, however and some may have an issue digesting potatoes. It is best to start with a small amount of potatoes to make sure it agrees with your dog. Some advantages of potatoes as an ingredient is that they are gluten-free carbs and contain vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin B6, calcium, potassium, magnesium and iron.

The ninth ingredient is fish meal. Like chicken meal, this is another meat concentrate that is packed with protein. Also like chicken meal, fish meal is made of the parts that we wouldn’t consume. It is usually made from ground-up bony trash fish and forage fish like anchovy, menhaden, or herring from commercial fish operations. Unfortunately, we are unable to determine what fish the fish meal consists of. Regardless, this ingredient is a high-quality source of protein and omega-3s.

Flaxseed is the tenth ingredient. Flaxseed is an anti-inflammatory that can ease arthritis, improve kidney function, and lower blood pressure. The omega-3 fatty acids will keep your dog’s skin healthy and coat shiny.

Thus concludes the first ten ingredients of this Kirkland product. They are the most prevalent ones, and therefore where the focus of this analysis must be. However, we will highlight some of the ingredients farther down the list that may be controversial or affect your decision to buy this product.

Brewer’s yeast can be a controversial ingredient. Some dogs may be allergic to yeast and should therefore avoid products that contain it. There are some people that claim that brewer’s yeast can increase the risk of the dog developing bloat. This, however, has yet to be proven.

On the other hand, there are many positives to this ingredient. It is full of protein, supports the immune system, promotes good digestion, and helps control diarrhea. It is antioxidant-rich which is great for your pet’s skin and coat. If your dog has dry, itchy skin, brewer’s yeast may be a good choice in neutralizing the issue. It may even help repel fleas.

Peas are another controversial ingredient. These lentils may be great for fiber and carbs, but they may have an effect on your dog’s kidneys. Purines, a chemical compound found in peas, produce uric acid. This acid is filtered through the kidneys and can lead to kidney stones if too much is consumed. Therefore, peas are ok to feed your dog, but in small doses. Dogs don’t need fruits and vegetables like us humans do.

Chicory root is another ingredient located further down the list. Chicory is part of the dandelion family, and its root contains inulin, which is a natural source of fiber. Inulin is also a prebiotic which enables healthy bacteria to grow in the digestive tract.

Chelated minerals are another noteworthy ingredient in the list. These are minerals that have been attached to a protein, making them easier to absorb. This removes any inefficiency and enables your dog to absorb any trace minerals as they are ingested. This allows absorption anywhere from two to five times the rate of the inorganic forms of these minerals. Typically the appearance of chelated minerals are a good sign of a more quality dog food product.

Nutrient data is calculated on a dry matter basis. The Guaranteed Analysis panel, which is the equivalent of Nutrition Facts on human food products, allows for us to compare protein, fat, fiber, and moisture in our pet food products. However, these numbers can be misleading. These numbers tend to make it difficult to compare canned, raw products with a lot of moisture with dry kibbles.

The dry matter protein in this product is at 29%, fat is 18% and carbs are at 45%. This formula is meant for medium to large breed adults. With the protein content at 29% coming mostly from chicken and chicken meal, this is a sufficient nutrition level for the average dog. The chicken fat and flaxseed are the main factors contributing to the 18% fat content. This is a good level for active dogs like Golden Retrievers or Pitbulls. However, we wouldn’t necessarily recommend this food for an overweight dog since the fat content is relatively high.

The carbohydrates in this product come from barley and brown rice, which also are a great source of fiber and vitamins. Vitamins also come in the form of carrots, peas, dried kelp, cranberries, and apples. Additionally probiotics and prebiotics help promote your dog’s good digestion.

You can also find both glucosamine and chondroitin in small amounts. These help promote healthy joints by rebuilding cartilage and protecting the joints.

Dog Food Recall 2019 — Full List

All 2019 dog food recalls are listed in the table below.

Click the links in the table below to see the specific, important details about each recall.

FAQ

What dog food is on recall right now 2022?

Is Kirkland dog food safe for dogs?

What dog foods are being recalled in 2021?